


The Makoto Moe Sweater Fund

by greeneyes_softsighs



Category: Free!
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Cute, Established Relationship, Long-Distance Relationship, Love, M/M, Moe Sweaters, Thigh-High Stockings, Ugly Sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 17:38:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5594998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greeneyes_softsighs/pseuds/greeneyes_softsighs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin gives Makoto a hand-knitted sweater as a Christmas present.  Rinkoto. </p>
<p>Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to my fandom buddies!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Makoto Moe Sweater Fund

At the joint Iwatobi-Samezuke Christmas Party Reunion Party (named by Nagisa), amidst cheers and happy chattering, Makoto pulled a soft, light green lump of knitted yarn from its wrapping. A noticeable hush came over the gathered partygoers as the lump unfurled, revealing a sweater-like shape that Makoto held to his chest.

“Rin, it’s… beautiful,” Makoto breathed with a sincerity that only an angel of his magnitude could muster. Rei looked mortified, Nagisa looked amused, and Haru’s face was a blank mask (although he had an air of interest about him). Sousuke observed the scene from above, leaning over the back of the couch, while Momo and Ai sat on either side of Makoto on the floor. “You made this yourself?”

“Yep,” Rin grinned, looking way too pleased with himself. He’d taken the advice of his coach and started knitting as a hobby. The sweater was his first large project, and he’d even adlibbed some of the pattern in order to make it big enough for Makoto. He’d carefully, painstakingly, chosen soft, fluffy yarn in a pastel green to compliment Makoto’s sweet, soft nature -- and his eyes. He’d also wanted to put a cute cat pattern on the chest, but after several failed attempts he kept it simple.

“I’m going to go try it on!” Makoto said, smiling excitedly as he hefted himself up off the ground. As soon as he was out of earshot, Sousuke made his move to comment.

“That is one hell of an ugly sweater, Rin.”

“I’m going to have to agree with Yamazaki-senpai on this one,” Rei said, pushing his red-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. “The sweater is not at all appealing in terms of aesthetics, but… it really is the sentiment behind it that gives the object it’s true beauty.”

“I think it’s cute!” Ai piped up, looking at Rin with that hero-worshipping puppy-dog simper that, he assumed, would never truly go away. At least he’d stopped calling Rin ‘senpai.’ Rin frowned at his comment and folded his arms. Beside him on the couch, Haru remained silent.

“Nothing to add, Nanase?” Rin grumped.

“... As long as Makoto likes it, it doesn’t matter if it’s ugly,” Haru said without inflection, though with an aura of smugness that lit the fire of boiling rage in Rin’s veins. The redhead glared at him silently, grinding his teeth in an effort not to make a scene. Haru turned away without further comment.

Gift unwrapping continued while Rin stewed, wandering away from the gathering to the hallway where he waited for Makoto. The bedroom door cracked open and Makoto peeked out his head, smiling when he caught Rin’s eye. He walked around the open door into the hallway and held out his arms with a soft ‘ta-da~!’

“Oh… shit, it really doesn’t fit,” Rin said immediately, face falling. The sweater was too big in the collar, and the sleeves -- which dangled over Makoto’s hands in the most ridiculous way possible -- were way too long. While he was admiring his most shoddy craftsmanship, Makoto leaned close and wrapped his arms around Rin’s shoulders.

“I love it,” he said, nuzzling Rin’s neck. “I really love it, ‘cuz you made it. How long did it take you?”

“Like… two months,” Rin scoffed, running his palms over Makoto’s back, luxuriating in the softness of the wool and the warmth and solidity of his boyfriend’s body underneath. Makoto’s breath tickled his neck when he laughed.

“Aw! So you thought about me for a whole two months while you were knitting this?”

“... Mako,” Rin grumbled, pulling back until his and Makoto’s nose barely brushed together. The brunette giggled, nudging his nose against Rin’s with a sweet smile before knocking foreheads. “You know I think about you all the time. I should have just gotten you something like an actual sweater. Something you can wear in public.”

“What if I don’t want something I can wear in public...” Makoto said softly, leaning in close to Rin’s ear. His voice became husky when he stroked a couple fingers down Rin’s chest and across his stomach. Rin swallowed and ran his hands down, over the fuzzy fabric of the sweater to Makoto’s waist. “I can show you just how much I love your present later, once everyone leaves.”

“Hey, Makoto--” Sousuke popped into the hallway, interrupting their moment. He raised a brow at the entwined pair. “Haru says stop flirting, he wants to open his present now.”

“Okay! Tell Haru-chan I’ll be right there,” Makoto piped up sweetly. The neckline of his sweater slipped over his shoulder, revealing a muscular deltoid and the long, milky soft line of his neck. Rin bit his lip, and Sousuke paused -- speechless -- then backed away into the living room without another word.

“He’ll be back soon,” Rin heard Sousuke announce from the other room, without the usual customary ribbing at the newly reunited lovers. Rin turned back to Makoto and sighed, stepping back to get another good look at his boyfriend in his brand new sweater. Makoto raised one hand and flashed a peace sign with a sunny smile that sent an arrow piercing straight through Rin’s heart.

“Let’s head back into the party,” Makoto said, sliding the long sleeves up his arm to bunch at his elbow. Rin grinned at his boyfriend nervously.

“You’re gonna wear that out there?”

“Of course,” Makoto chuckled, giving Rin a little peck on the cheek before walking back to the living room.

Once the presents were unwrapped and all the food and alcohol demolished, Rin ushered their guests to the door to say good night. Nagisa hung on his neck for a good few minutes until Rei could pry the blond off. Nitori, a little drunk and reluctant to leave, held back tears while Momo wrestled him out the door. Haru gave him an awkward hug, and Sousuke paused by the door before following out his boyfriend.

“Hey… um… you think you could knit another one of those sweaters?” Sousuke asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

“What? For you?” Rin snickered while Sousuke’s entire face turned red. 

“Tch. No... I’ll talk to you about it later,” Sousuke says, cuffing Rin on the shoulder. “Merry Christmas, asshole.”

“Merry Christmas, Sou.” They pulled each other into a quick hug before Sousuke trotted off to meet up with Haru by their car.

Relieved to be alone with Mako at last, Rin closed the door and walked back into Makoto’s kitchen. The newfound quiet was like a blessing. He called out, “Babe, do you want some tea?”

“Yes, please! I’ll be right there,” Makoto called back from the bedroom and Rin flipped the little switch on the electric kettle. Rin smiled, hoping that his boyfriend was taking off that terrible sweater. Even if it did look super cute on him, Rin was too embarrassed to enjoy it. Well, that wasn’t strictly true...

Rin poured out some water into two mugs and dunked a tea bag in each. Makoto only stocked terrible tea, but Rin didn’t give him flack for it. He liked Makoto’s frugality. His entire apartment was a testament to Makoto’s new life as a teacher and coach, living alone in the city: it was tiny, a little on the old side, and full of furniture Makoto had rescued and repurposed from thrift stores and family. Rin stirred some honey into Makoto’s mug and picked up his own, keeping it black without sweetener, and sipped.

“You don’t use sugar ‘cuz you’re already so sweet, right?”

Rin snorted as he turned around, then snorted again when he realized Makoto had removed his pants and put on a pair of thigh-high stockings. Rin didn’t even know Makoto owned something like that. That damn sweater was still there, too, barely long enough to cover Makoto’s dark boxer briefs. He sputtered as hot tea seared up the back of his throat and dribbled out his nose. “Oh! Rin,” Makoto laughed and rushed forward. He took the mug from Rin’s hands, placed it on the table and patted Rin’s back as the redhead coughed into a napkin.

“W-Where… did you get those?” Rin asked, looking down between them at Makoto’s knees. Makoto’s stockinged toes curled against the wood floor.

“Ai-chan told me about this online store that sells lingerie, but in men’s sizes,” Makoto said. “I, uhm, thought maybe you’d be into it. I’ve actually had them for a while now.”

“How long?” Rin asked, reaching out tentatively to stroke Makoto’s thigh. So muscular, powerful, and encased in fine, delicate silk. He smiled and leaned forward, resting his forehead on Makoto’s chest with a sigh.

“Um… like two years ago,” Makoto’s voice rumbled against Rin’s head resting on his sternum. The redhead nuzzled into the soft wool-covered chest and pulled Makoto into a tight hug. He tilted his head up and Makoto bent down slightly until their lips met, parted, and met again in a gentle kiss. 

“You wanna watch some TV before bed?” Rin asked.

“Mmhmm,” Makoto hummed while running his fingers through Rin’s long, red hair.

“Okay. Go get comfortable. I’m following right behind you.” 

Rin walked into the living room with a slice of cake on a plate and his mug of tea. Makoto was already sitting on the couch. With legs too long to tuck demurely, Makoto lounged with his feet stretched out and his ankles crossed in front of him. He pulled up straight when Rin walked around the counter that divided the small kitchen and living space, looking so much like a puppy waiting excitedly for his playmate.

“You’re adorable,” Rin said, leaving the food on the coffee table before falling back onto the couch and throwing an arm around Makoto. “Stop being so cute.”

“No!” Makoto laughed as Rin pulled him close. A fond grin snuck its way to Rin’s lips as they cuddled up on the couch together. Makoto had the TV turned to the kind of old, saccharine Christmas-themed programming they both loved, but Rin was too busy studying his handsome boyfriend’s face to pay attention. It was background noise, fallen to the wayside as his world shrunk down to the couch, with the coffee table a distant satellite where their tea and cake rested.

“You actually like this sweater?”

“Yeah, I do,” Makoto said in that candid way he had sometimes. “I’ll probably only wear it at home, though.”

“I hope so,” Rin muttered, stroking the soft fabric as it stretched over Makoto’s bicep. “Sousuke asked me to make another one, you know? Probably for Haru.”

“Really?” Makoto giggled, shaking against Rin as he hid his laughter behind his hand. “Haru asked me to get one for him. So he can make Sousuke wear it.” They fell into hysterics at the thought of the two stolid lovers wearing the moe sweater. It was hard to imagine either of them allowing the other to dress them up in something so obviously _cute_.

“I really don’t think I can do a repeat performance,” Rin said, wiping a tear from his eye with the heel of his hand. Makoto sighed, holding his stomach as the last tremors of laughter quaked through him.

“So I get the one and only?”

“One hundred percent original! One of a kind!” Rin boasted, using his best English to sound like an advertisement, making Makoto break into laughter again. He smiled dreamily at Makoto, basking in the warmth of the brunette’s happiness, realizing that not just the sweater was one of a kind. His Makoto was like no one else. His one and only. The heaviness of that realization put his chest in a vice grip and stole his breath. In just a few weeks he would have to return to his training and leave Makoto, and his friends, yet again. The sudden urge to cling to Makoto was hard to overcome.

“Rin?”

“Ah… yeah?”

“Do you want some cake?”

“Nah,” Rin said, breaking from Makoto’s singularity to look over at the TV and the coffee table. “But you should eat some. Here...” 

The redhead picked up the plate and sliced the pointed tip of the confection with the edge of the fork. He speared it, and then held it up for Makoto. After looking at the cake, Makoto’s green eyes met Rin’s as he leaned in and took the morsel between his lips. Makoto’s pleasure was tangible in the way the corners of his lips slowly turned up with a contented hum, and his eyes closed as his tongue flicked out to clean the fork before Rin returned it to the plate to scoop up another bite.

For half the slice, Rin’s gaze was riveted to Makoto’s mouth.

“You sure you don’t want to try some? Haru did a good job,” Makot said, wiping some cream from his lip with his thumb. He sucked it off without a thought, but didn’t get it all. Rin rested the plate in his lap and reached out to brush the last crumb from the corner of his boyfriend’s smile. He continued, lightly caressing Makoto’s jawline and the gentle curve of his cheekbone. 

“Rinrin...”

Rin swallowed hard past the tightening in his throat. Fuck. Nope, not gonna cry. Don’t do it. Even as Makoto’s image began to blur, Rin struggled to keep his breathing even and he turned away to hide his face. Well, it was no use. Of course he was going to get misty eyed with his boyfriend being the sweetest angel in the goddamn universe. What kind of a monster left this guy alone -- in Tokyo of all places! -- and just expected him to stay faithful and be happy and put up with the constant shift of their lives around Rin’s career.

He wiped at his tears in an effort to be discreet, but his little whimpers and sniffs made his distress obvious. Makoto scooted closer, wrapped Rin in a hug and said, “Rinrin, don’t cry… You don’t have to eat the cake if you don’t want to.” He nudged his forehead between Rin’s shoulder blades.

“Guh --” Rin sniffed “-- it’s not about the damn cake,” he said, voice thick with emotion. He took a moment to calm down, staring at the wall as he focused on collecting himself.

“I know...” Makoto sighed patiently against Rin’s nape, a smile in his voice.

“It’s about us, y’know --” Rin cursed as his voice wobbled again. “About how kinda fucked up it is that we have to spend more than half our time apart. Like, worlds apart. Shit...” He rubbed at his eyes again, pushing the tears away with shaky breaths. Makoto gave him a gentle squeeze and then unwound his arms from Rin’s middle, sitting back on the couch.

“Rinrin, look at me,” Makoto urged him gently. The redhead wiped his cheeks with the collar of his polo and turned, peeking over his shoulder with red-rimmed eyes. Makoto pouted at him, pushing his bottom lip out a bit while curling his hands cutely against his chest -- like a bunny. The long sleeves of the sweater dangled, hiding his hands from view, and the neckline slipped over his shoulder yet again. Rin turned around completely, still taking shallow breaths. He was torn between a smile and tears, so he settled for grinning like a sad fucker at his adorable, goofy boyfriend. 

That only seemed to worry Makoto even more. 

The brunette put the plate of half-eaten cake onto the floor next to the couch and gently maneuvered Rin onto his back. The redhead reclined, pliant under Makoto’s guiding hands, until his head was pillowed against the couch’s arm. He looked up at Makoto with warmth and fondness curling in his gut, while the pain of their inevitable separation seared his heart.

“Rinrin, stop crying,” Makoto ordered softly, using his long sleeves to sop up the big alligator tears staining Rin’s cheeks. “It’s Christmas.”

“Mako… It’s just that, you know, I miss you so much when I’m gone. And I know you can take care of yourself --” Rin’s arm flailed outward at the apartment as if to state ‘obviously’ “-- but I want to be here to help you. I can’t stand the look on your face when we vid chat after a hard day at work.”

“I’m okay, Rin. Really,” Makoto said firmly, resting his broad hand on Rin’s chest. Rin groaned out his frustration at the feelings swirling in his gut.

“I know, babe. I know you are, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to comfort you after a shit day on the job,” he curled his fingers around the hand resting on his chest. “You live in this place alone now, after growing up in a big, loud-ass family and having Haru just a train ride away during college.”

Makoto nodded his understanding. The feeling was mutual. There were days of practice that left Rin barely able to function, let alone conduct a conversation with his worrywart boyfriend, and Makoto desperately wished he could reach out to hold him those times. Like now. He cuddled Rin, resting between his legs with his head pillowed on Rin’s chest. Makoto’s feet hung over the other side of the couch, too long to fit entirely.

“I do get lonely sometimes,” Makoto admitted softly, brushing the side of his thumb back and forth over Rin’s ribs to the beat of his heart. “I’m so busy with work and coaching, so I can forget… but when I get back home, it’s so quiet that I get restless and moody.”

“Can you have pets?” Rin asked after a moment of thought.

“I can. There’s a weight restriction, and a pretty hefty deposit fee, though,” he groused. Rin knew that money had to be the only reason Makoto refrained from getting a pet. There was no way he’d live without one otherwise.

“Hm. I think I have a good idea for a New Year’s present. It just came to me, all of a sudden...” Rin hummed. Makoto stiffened and raised his head, looking at Rin with wide, glossy eyes. Another arrow pierced Rin’s heart, splitting the one from earlier right in two. His eyes twinkled over a shark-like grin.

“Rin, you can’t --” Makoto stalled, searching Rin’s gaze. “I haven’t even given you your Christmas present yet!”

“Then give it to me,” Rin said, eyeballing Makoto’s plump bottom from his end of the couch.

“ _That’s_ not your present,” the brunette chuckled. He climbed off Rin and shuffled down the hallway to his bedroom. Rin sat up to sip his tea and try a taste of Haru’s cake. Makoto returned to his seat next to Rin shortly. Without preamble, and a bit of a blush, he held out a rectangular velvet box to Rin. “This is your present. I wanted to wait until later, when everyone had gone, ‘cuz I knew you’d probably… get emotional.”

Rin stared at the box, and then up at Makoto. He looked nervous and excited all at once and offered Rin his best reassuring smile while nodding down at the box. The redhead gently snapped open the lid and looked down at the modest piece of jewelry nestled within. A small, rectangular piece of hammered metal strung onto a simple silver chain rested against the dark interior of the box. Rin stared at it for a solid minute. There were some numbers inscribed on the front, but they weren’t a date he could decipher at all. For one brief moment, he feared he had forgotten an important anniversary.

“It’s coordinates,” Makoto breathed out a soft laugh. “Rei gave me the idea.”

“Coordinates? To where?” Rin asked, gently removing the necklace from the box to inspect closer.

“Well… it’s a little embarrassing to say it out loud,” Makoto sighed, clearing his throat as he played with a loose thread on the sleeve of his sweater. “It’s the coordinates to ITSC Returns.”

“Why?” Rin chuckled, admiring the tiny piece of metal in his palm. The swim club was cool and all, but he couldn’t think of a reason why Makoto would want to immortalize its geographic location.

“Because that’s where we swam together in our relay for the first time,” the brunette explained, hiding his mouth behind a sweater-encased hand. “That’s where I realized that I wanted to swim by your side for the rest of my life.”

Oh...

Rin was dumbstruck by Makoto’s intimate words and the guileless expression on his face. He struggled to find a suitable reply as his boyfriend took the necklace from him and leaned over, wrapping his arms around Rin’s neck and pushing his red hair to the side in order to secure the clasp at his nape. The medallion rested low against his sternum and could be easily hidden under his clothes or worn on top. It was so simple, but the meaning behind it continued to make Rin speechless.

“Mako...” Rin stuttered uselessly, staring down at the numbers delicately etched in metal. He looked up when he heard a soft sniffle and a little murmur. Makoto’s eyes were brimming with tears, but he was smiling, admiring his boyfriend in the jewelry. “This is perfect.”

“Do you think it’s stupid?”

“No, it’s perfect,” Rin said again, with more force. “It’s beautiful. Every time I feel this, or look at it, I’ll think of you and Iwatobi.” That made Makoto’s smile widen, but it couldn’t stop a tear from escaping down his cheek. He sobbed out a laughed and wiped his face with his wrist. Rin barely ever saw him shed a tear, and when he did, he dried out fast afterward. In a moment the flurry of emotion was over.

“I thought you’d be the one crying, not me...” Makoto said with a pout. Rin gave him a look with a soft glare diluted even further by a grin that snuck up too quickly. He stood and held out a hand to Makoto. 

“Let’s go to bed,” he said, voice lowering slightly as his eyes swept over Makoto’s body, zeroing in on the way the bands of those stockings stretched around his muscular thighs. “It’s time to take that terrible sweater off.”

Makoto took his hand and stood, wrapping his arms around Rin’s middle. “Merry Christmas,” he said, pecking Rin on the mouth, lingering just inches away with a smile on his lips.

“Merry Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

>   
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Merry Christmas. Here's to a good year in 2016.


End file.
